18 Syrian crew let off ship after rushed security checks

by ojacques

Owen Jacques
News Editor

Owen Jacques is an award-winning investigative journalist from Mackay, now based on the Sunshine Coast as APN Australian Regional Media’s Online News Editor. He has a strong background reporting on politics, business and breaking news. Owen has also specialised in resources reporting, which included a successful campaign to fight 100% fly-in, fly-out mining in rural Queensland towns.

"Are ships whose entire crew do not have MCVs allowed to come alongside Australian ports?" he said.

"Is trade more important than national security?"

Mr Summers said the only way this ship's crew could have undergone a proper security check was if Australian officials were able to check information with their home country of Syria.

"I think the Syrian Government's hands are pretty full at the moment, and they don't have a relationship with the Australian Government."

The current Syrian Government is involved in a bloody conflict which has cost more than 100,000 lives.

A spokesman for the the department said officials may liaise with foreign governments when assessing visa applications.

He would not discuss this case specifically.

The Department of Border Protection and Australian Border Force have been under scrutiny since earlier this year when a Filipino ship captain, wanted for questioning in relation to two deaths aboard his former vessel, was given permission to work in Australian waters.

Captain Venancio Salas Jr was found to be in Gladstone in February following a major investigation by Australian Regional Media . He was then forced to face cross-examination at a coronial inquest.

The handling of the case has now become the subject of a Senate Inquiry into foreign shipping.

NOTE: The initial headline on this story was "19 Syrian sailors allowed into Gladstone without visas", which was inaccurate and has been changed.